A Show of Force
by LordJohnRoxton1922
Summary: Our explorers must Again face off with Zoth, the man who threatens to destroy the world in the 21st century. Malone must make a choice to save Finn or to save the others.


"A SHOW OF FORCE"  
  
By LordJohnRoxton1922  
  
The bright glare of the sun shined in Challenger's eyes as he blazed through the jungle trail, Ned and Veronica trailed behind, almost as if they didn't want to come look for a way off the plateau with him in the first place. Roxton and Marguerite were off trading with the Zanga, they were being expected back tomorrow. As for Finn's whereabouts, well they weren't sure. One minute she was trailing behind, just as Malone and Veronica, and the next she was gone. They couldn't figure it out, not even Challenger. They retraced their footsteps and there were only three sets of footprints, not four like there should have been. "Wait up Challenger," Malone called out as he and Veronica ran to catch up to him. "Challenger why are you going so fast, there is still plenty of daylight left." "Malone, we have got to find her, I feel like it's my fault that she is missing. After all, I am the one who made her come." Ned wondered why he thought it was his fault, he never had acted this disturbed before. Challenger picked up the pace. Veronica stepped in front of him and looked him firmly in the eye. "It's not your fault. She knew if she fell behind there was a risk of getting lost, this is the jungle you know." "I know but I still think I'm to blame because I a. . . . " He was interrupted by a sound. At that moment they heard an inhuman scream. They looked at each other, very briefly, and then took off running in the direction of the scream.  
  
"RUN!" Roxton shouted at Marguerite, there was a T-Rex running after them. It was one of the largest Roxton had ever seen.  
He knelt down and took three shots at its massive eyes, but he only hit it once and that didn't put a stop to his pursuit on them.  
All of a sudden, out of no where, they heard gun shots, rapidly firing away. Roxton couldn't place the sound but he knew he had heard it somewhere before. They turned to the left, on a small mound there was a man firing away at the T-Rex. Roxton and Marguerite knew him, from somewhere, but they couldn't place him.  
Roxton then knew the noise that he couldn't place before, it was a gun, from the future. Roxton had used one in the future, at New Amazonia, and was amazed at its power. Roxton came out of his thoughts, and back into the real world.  
The T-Rex still wouldn't be defeated, it just turned and retreated in disappointment. The man climbed down off of the mound and headed toward Roxton and Marguerite.  
"Nice to see you again." the man said as he approached Roxton and Marguerite.  
Roxton stepped up to him, forcefully, "Who are you, where did you get that weapon?"  
"That is why I come. I have come to warn you of the danger that lies ahead."  
Marguerite pushed Roxton aside. "What danger?"  
The man went over to a log and sat down. "Three days ago I was out walking through the jungle. I came upon a cave with a tribe of headhunters walking by in search of food. There was a noise inside the cave. One of the men went inside, the rest gathered around waiting, staring hard at the cave's entrance. Waiting for something to happen, and then it did. The man who went inside screamed, two more men rushed in. They also screamed. Then, something really strange happened. Three men came out, but not the three who went in, they had this type of weapon I hold in my hand now. They killed the rest of the tribe, and proceeded on down through the jungle. They dropped this one. After it was over, I picked it up. I could feel that something was wrong, so I have been going around to all of the villages warning the people of this. I don't think too many believed me. Do you?"  
Roxton and Marguerite looked at each other, not knowing how to answer. Roxton turned to the man and said, "I guess we have no choice but to believe you. After the evidence you have supplied us with, we have to.  
"But John," Marguerite blurted out, "How do we know he's telling the truth."  
"What if he is, and  
we didn't believe him,  
then what."  
They looked where the man had been standing and he was gone. He did leave the machine gun though. Roxton picked it up and put it in his pack. They headed down the path through the jungle. "Come on Marguerite we have to warn Challenger and the others." 


End file.
